Stephanie writes about her self-isolation experience and reflects on stories from Sierra Leone, “I started thinking about what could encourage me through this time. I remembered a story from Ebola (1) survivor, Aliu, who I met in Sierra Leone and whose story stayed with me. Even in the darkest of times, facing grief and trauma, Aliu had hope and reached out to others.”
The Pervasive Flavour of SALT
A new community is benefitting from the Amplifying Voices through SALT project (AVS) in Freetown, Sierra Leone! Young people in Sammy Town have taken up the challenge to repair the damaged roads in their neighbourhood following a chance encounter with project volunteers. Sammy Town is a community in the hills overlooking the centre of Freetown.
Celebrating 3 years of Amplifying Voices in Freetown
Promoting safer communities for young girls
Day 15 of #16DaysofActivism
By Stephanie Mooney
The Amplifying Voices Project was set up in 2015 as a collaborative venture between Feba UK, HCR and the Believers Broadcasting Network (BBN), a Christian radio station in Freetown. BBN forms multi-stakeholder teams with partners including churches and local health clinics to visit people in their households and local communities and listen deeply to their stories, challenges, hopes and concerns.
These conversations with people feed directly back into radio programmes developed and broadcast by BBN. There is a twice-weekly show called Amplify that uses and responds to community voices and there is also a monthly radio drama produced to deal with sensitive issues identified such as sexual violence, rape, teenage pregnancy and ‘sugar daddy’ relationships.
Listeners and those involved in the visits see themselves as agents of change. The conversations shared and issues raised in the radio broadcasts are leading the community to take practical action to protect women and girls.
Scarcity of water and the vulnerability of girls collecting water were identified as major concerns, as men targeted girls and this was linked to high levels of teenage pregnancy. Djibrillah, a team member, said: ‘Girls used to go to the streams to collect water. Water Tanks were installed so now this has reduced the need to fetch water and this has reduced teenage pregnancy.’ In another community they put in streetlights to improve the security for women and girls.
The project is also helping women and girls in relation to education and employment. A radio journalist and counsellor involved in the project said the following about *‘Patience’, a regular listener to the Amplify programme: ‘She was a lady who thought everything was lost and was intimidated by education. Now she is very engaged. We encourage them and let them know they have something inside of them. All is not lost. She is about to complete her education.’
By working with the community to improve the safety and security of women and girls and to encourage them into education and employment, this work is having a transformative impact on the lives of people in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
*Not her real name
Amplifying Voices Project team members on their way to visit a community in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
Amplifying Voices of opportunity
Day 3 of #16DaysofActivism
By Stephanie Mooney
HCR is working with a large Christian Radio station and counselling centre in Freetown, Sierra Leone, on the “Amplifying Voices” Project. This project, which was launched by Feba UK, is increasing the engagement of local people in conversations with their communities, which are amplified by radio broadcasts that address the health and wellbeing concerns of local people to promote positive long-term change. The project is giving space for people who are marginalised. People who have been waiting to be heard for too long.
Mr Kariou, started his own business and development organisation in 2013 called Friends of the Poor. He came to Freetown from the provinces. He built a pushcart and started to do door-to-door waste collection to improve sanitation and cleanliness in the area. He shared money and got a tricycle – and more young people came on-board and he helped them into employment.
Mr Kariou cares deeply about women’s empowerment and wants to create jobs for women. In the slum areas where he does his collection, over 50% are unemployed. Many are single mothers with no opportunities to go back to school. Mr Kariou teaches tailoring, soap making and micro-finance to start a business. He believes by doing this that he can help empower these women and the local community.
Mr Kariou was able to go on the radio through the Amplifying Voices project to share the good that is happening in his community and to encourage other people to get involved in his work. Since the radio interview, more people are showing an interest and getting involved: ‘More people are coming together to share the concerns of their community. We meet more and are now working together’.
In Sierra Leone and across Africa, radio is a powerful tool to raise awareness of gender violence and give women a voice.
Amplifying Voices in Sierra Leone
It is nearly 3 months since their country was declared Ebola-free and Sierra Leoneans are yearning for a return to normality. But for many, life still remains far from normal, as communities emerge from trauma, where many still face social stigma, persistent health problems and don't trust the health system. Added to this, an estimated 4 million people in the country are at risk of starvation and over 19,000 children have been affected by the Ebola virus through the loss of parents or loved ones.
In collaboration with partners, Feba UK and Affirm, HCR UK are working with three communities, a hospital, churches and a radio station to help local communities recover after the trauma of Ebola. Following a workshop to introduce a powerful community engagement process, known as "SALT”, the project will link local communities, health providers, people of faith and radio, using the strengths of each to promote dialogue, reconciliation and healing in Sierra Leone."